the ordinary – sarah fynn

What are Vitamin C Derivatives?

We know Vitamin C to be the gold standard ingredient when it comes to antioxidants and skin brightening but L-Ascorbic acid in its true form is a highly unstable ingredient. Sunlight, air and temperature are just some of the things that can set it off and make it unstable. This is why a good vitamin c product should always be packaged well in opaque airless containers. If your Vitamin C serum changes colour e.g. turns brown it’s no longer effective. High concentrations of Vitamin C are also extremely notorious for skin irritation and generally speaking you would also need a high percentage of Vitamin C in order to experience the full benefits of it.

Vitamin C derivatives are different forms of Vitamin C that have been formulated to be more stable but offer the same skin brightening benefits as Ascorbic acid. There is a lot on the market but I will talk about the 3 derivatives I have had the most experience with.

Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate (MAP) – this a water-soluble Vitamin C derivative with the same skin brightening properties of Ascorbic acid. Even though it’s not as potent as Ascorbic acid, this derivative is less irritating meaning that most people can tolerate it as high (ish) percentages.

I first came across MAP from The Ordinary’s MAP 10% serum. I really love this product because it’s lightweight and hydrating and it worked well to brighten my skin. MAP is always the Vitamin C I recommend to others when they want a good starting point. My full review is here

Ascorbyl Glucoside– this is another water-soluble Vitamin C derivative and it’s considered one of the best derivatives on the market. This one also offers skin brightening and antioxidant benefits as well as boosting collagen synthesis. This is the type I find quite common in products on the market. You can find Ascorbyl glucoside in Vichy Normaderm Double Correction Daily Care, Avene A-Oxitive Defence Serum and of course The Ordinary Ascorbyl Glucoside 12% which is how I came to know of it and love it. Remember if it’s been formulated with other ingredients, it needs to be listed within the 1^st 5 or10 ingredients in order to truly benefit from it

Read my full review of this serum here

THD Ascorbate– this is a fat/lipid-soluble derivative of Vitamin C which allows it to penetrate into the deeper layers of the skin. Again you are getting the best of vitamin C without the irritation. I haven’t used a lot of products with this derivate but there are plenty out there. I first came across THD in the Sunday Riley CEO serum and cream. The CEO serum contains 15% THD however I did not like this serum. Read my full review of it here. This year, I used the Peter Thomas Roth Potent C serum which contains 20% THD along with Vitamin E and Ferulic acid. I’m not sure if it’s the higher THD percentage or the combination of other antioxidants but I really liked it and it helped to brighten my skin. My full review of the PTR serum is here

Summary

Vitamin C is naturally found in the skin but with ageing and environmental damage, production of it slows down. Finding a well-formulated Vitamin C serum can be quite tricky as there are tons on the market. My recommendation will always be to find a well packaged and well-formulated one e.g. in an opaque airless container and preferably a serum/cream that also contains other beneficial ingredients.

I would recommend the Ordinary MAP and Ascorbyl Glucoside as budget-friendly options. If you want the real deal, The Inkey List Vitamin C is another favourite of mine which is pure 30% L ascorbic acid. My full review is here. This serum is in a waterless formula so it’s slightly tricky to add to a routine and you can experience irritation. In my full review, I explain how and why I mix it with another serum. Be sure to also check out the full Vitamin C range from The Ordinary too.

For luxury options, I recommend PTR Potent-C serum or Ole Henriksen Banana Bright serum which is a different derivative of Vitamin C plus PHA. Sunday Riley CEO is another popular choice although it didn’t work for me

I prefer to use my Vitamin C serums in the morning underneath my SPF in order to get the best possible protection against the sun and the environment however you can also use them in the evening or even twice a day. I personally don’t think layering two or 3 different Vitamin C products will give you more results so don’t be tempted to do that.

In short, find a good Vitamin C serum and start using it!

Let me know your favourite Vitamin C serums!

The Ordinary High-Adherence Silicone Primer Review

The Ordinary Colours is the makeup range from the brand. It features two types of foundations: High Coverage and Serum foundation, I have reviews of both of them on the blog. There are also two primers and today’s post is a full review on the High-Adherence Silicone Primer.

The High-Adherence Silicone Primer promises to smooth and blur the appearance of skin. it gives a matte yet hydrated appearance and can be used alone as a non-greasy hydrator or as a primer before makeup application.

Experience

I really like silicone-based primers because of the smooth effect they give the skins o when the released this I knew I had to try it. The texture of tis primer is very lightweight compared t other silicone primers I have used, it also feels very hydrating on the skin. It doesn’t have any particular scent. The primer comes in an easy to use squeezy tube.

The primer layers well with other products and once pill. Compared to other silicone primers I have used, this one doesn’t have a powdery feel. I don’t think it leaves the skin matte or even gives a matte appearance, if anything it leaves a dewy finish because I have been using this during the fall/winter with powder foundations and my skin still looks dewy. On the left-hand side is where I have blended the primer out.

In terms of smoothing and blurring the skin, the primer has some effect although its’ not a massive one. My skin doesn’t feel dry during the day or matte. I have normal to combination skin and towards the end of the day, I find my tzone slightly oily and need to blot.

Verdict

I really like this primer. I don’t think it gives a matte finish as The Ordinary claim, rather it leaves the skin looking hydrated. The primer does give a smoother appearance to the skin however if you have really large pores I would recommend something else. For a silicone primer, it’s very lightweight on the skin and does not have that powdery feel associated with silicone primers. For the price, I think it’s excellent and it’s a great everyday use primer, which is what I use it for.

High-Adherence Silicone Primer is £3.90 on Deciem

The Ordinary’s Acids Guide

Skincare acids have become more popular these days and I want to think it’s partly due to the range and affordability the Ordinary has brought. I have a previous post on skincare acids here and how to choose the best for your skin type. In this post, I will be talking about some of The Ordinary’s acids and which ones I have used. I hope this post will help you, in case you are wondering which one to get/how to use them.

Warning

Please note, skincare acids will leave your skin more vulnerable to sun damage! It is important that you use SPF in the morning, every day to protect your skin. You need an SPF 30 or above. There is no use of using acids if you don’t use sun protection because you will be doing more damage than good.

The Ordinary Acids

AHA is recommended for sun damaged skin and dry skin. There are many types of AHA e.g. glycolic acid (most popular) mandelic acid, lactic acid, citric acid.

BHA is recommended for oily to blemish-prone skin and because it is able to deep cleanse pores. For my knowledge (I could be wrong) the only BHA is salicylic acid.

Acids can come in different products e.g. toners, serums, face wash etc. Find the product that works well for you, I would recommend you get your acids in a ‘leave on’ product so that they stay on your skin and work instead of a face wash that is washed out.

Glycolic Toning Solution 7% (AHA)* Toner. I use once a day in the evening following cleansing. I won’t recommend this is this is your 1st ever venture into acids as it’s quite high and it will sting your skin. If you are a first-timer, start with 5% in case you react to it. Always patch test. Review

Lactic acids, 5% & 10% (AHA)* Serum. Two different strengths I have tried the 5% formula which was ok but I didn’t like the scent. Review

AHA 30% BHA 2% mask* Mask. A mild chemical peel with very high acid content. Please do not get it if you absolutely do not need it. This is a wash off mask designed to be used for 10 mins only 2 to 3 times a week. I love this mask because of how smooth it leaves my skin and also because I have hyperpigmentation. It will sting so patch test before putting this on your face. You do not need to combine this with other acid products e.g. an acid toner Review

Salicylic acid 2% (BHA)* this serum is for oily/blemish skin and great for deep cleansing the pores. I love to use this when I am experiencing congestion/blemishes or texture on the skin. Review

Non-exfoliation acids

Every acid isn’t exfoliating! The other acids I have tried from TO

Azelaic acid 10%* is this for texture and pigmentations issues. I didn’t like this as it left my skin quite dry and itchy. It also didn’t have an impact on my hyperpigmentation. Review

Alpha Lipoic Acid 5%* a highly concentrated serum for texture and pigmentation issues. This is actually an antioxidant designed to be used only 2 to 3 times a week. I have added this to my routine and I will be doing a full review soon!

Other acids they stock

Mandelic acid 10%* this is an AHA serum which is supposed to be gentler on the skin due to the larger molecule size

This is a quick introduction to acids and how you can choose and use them effectively in a routine. Please remember to patch test and start slowly with acids. Choose one for your skintype and needs. The most important thing is to use sunscreen every day, all seasons whether acids are in your routine or not but especially if you use them!

Foundation of the month November- The Ordinary Serum Foundation

Everyone knows how I feel about the Ordinary and their products! For November I decided to try the Serum foundation as I wanted something dewy and lightweight for the colder season. I fell in love with the High Coverage foundation which I wore in May (full review here) so I also had really high hopes for the Serum foundation

The serum foundation is described as a lightweight medium foundation that offer a natural finish to the skin and a very lightweight serum feel. It’s available in 21 shades

Experience

This is a beautiful extremely lightweight foundation that is very easy to blend. I bought the shade 3.2R, the same shade I have in the High Coverage foundation. The shade is a good match but the undertone is very red. Although I have yellow/golden undertones (and even more so in the colder months) 3.2R in the high coverage foundation worked well with my skin (I realise in the summer my undertone is more reddish) so I thought the same shade in the serum foundation would be ok. To be honest its fine and a lighter concealer shade balances it out well. In terms of finish, it has a natural dewy finish.

The Serum foundation is extremely lightweight, it feels as if I have nothing on my face! It’s also extremely easy to blend and its perfect for the natural/ no makeup makeup looks. In terms of coverage, it is very light coverage although buildable without looking cakey or feeling heavy. I can still see some dark marks through the foundation but it makes the skin look smoother and even overall. The foundation doesn’t oxidise, wears extremely well through the day, doesn’t melt and no flashback. This foundation must be the easiest foundation I have to date to blend! Its so quick and easy and literally melts into the skin!

The only difference in my opinion between the Serum and High coverage foundation is the coverage. Serum foundation is very light to medium coverage and the High Coverage foundation is medium to full coverage. They both wear extremely well and lightweight on the skin

Verdict

I absolutely love this foundation! I have to say I don’t think it is for everyone in terms of coverage. If you love your full coverage/ beat foundations then this isn’t the foundation for you. Even with building the coverage up, I found it is still not as full coverage as other foundations. I prefer medium coverage foundations but I am not fussed if some dark marks show through the foundation which is why I love the Serum foundation. Even with the light coverage, I have still worn it to events because I love how it makes my skin looks!

I can work with the reddish undertone of the foundation so I don’t mind keeping it and not buying another shade. I usually mix with a light illuminator which tones it down and a light concealer to balance my face.

I can see they have more foundations coming out and I can’t wait for them to be launched. It’s not the biggest shade range but with the way, the shades have been formulated 1 shade can suit most skin tones well. For instance, when I was buying the high coverage foundation, after watching a few videos and settling on my chosen shade, I realised most of the people I watched had different shades in other foundations, both darker and lighter, however, we were both still able to wear the same shade. The total shades across both foundations are 42! But I can understand if you wanted to try the High coverage foundation but your perfect match was in the Serum foundation, you could be disappointed.

I love this foundation, I will be rocking it and I definitely recommend it! If you like light to medium coverage foundations then this would be a good match for you! For my medium to full coverage girls, you may want to try the High Coverage foundation!

The Ordinary Serum foundation is £5.70 on Deciem.com

The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution Review

Hey guys, I hope everyone is well! Today’s post will be a full review on the Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution I have been using for the past couple of months! I waited a good while and got through 3 bottles of this serum to be able to bring you a full and honest review of the serum! Let’s get started

For an introduction into skincare acids, it’s worth reading my previous post on AHA/BHA’s. The Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution is BHA which means it’s recommended for oily and congested skin. It also means it deep cleanses pores and exfoliates the skin.

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Experience

Although I have normal to oily combination skin, I have stuck to using AHA’s for the longest time because I was actually put off BHA from a previous product! I tried the Paula’s Choice 2% BHA and I honestly didn’t like it so I stayed away from BHA for almost 1-2 years! I started using this in the spring/summer because I didn’t want my skin to turn ‘full on’ oily/ acne prone like it does in the warmer months and Salicylic acid was one of the ingredients I knew could combat that.

I don’t use the Ordinary Salicylic Acid 2% Solution every day. I use it when I have texture on my skin or when I feel spots forming. It is a very light watery serum but it froths on the skin. It quickly dissipates after gently patting it into the skin. Unlike AHA’s, this doesn’t sting the skin. The immediate results I experience are hydration and glowing skin. This serum is excellent at reducing texture and spots and leaving my skin smooth. I have noticed that within 3-4 days of consistent use any texture/spots disappears( I have noticed this throughout my use of the serum but most recently after my trip to Italy and the horrible texture I came back with lol thanks to little water, a lot of wine and little sleep). It’s also great for keeping whiteheads and enlarged pores at bay! I honestly think the serum was my skin saviour over the summer! My skin remained normal to oily combo with no nasty acne or breakouts (I get that in the summer!)! I introduced this serum and the Niacinamide serum this spring/summer and they were a savour! I only used the BHA at night.

I must also admit I conducted two mini tests with the Salicylic acid serum: the first, I normally get a lot of texture on my skin when I travel, the combination of travel and little sleep is not good for my skin so I decided to use the BHA plus MAP plus resveratrol (review here) as a preventive measure. I used them every night in the lead up to my trip to Devon (I think it was 3 or 4 days before) and throughout the 2-day trip plus 3 days after I returned. Results? No texture, no spots no clogged pores! even with less sleep! I did also hydrate like crazy i.e. drink a lot of water and a lot of hydrating face masks. I also tested this with MAP and resveratrol alone and it gets rid of texture overnight somehow (when texture first rears its head). I have used the serum in combo with AHA toners and it’s been fine, I have had no issues with that.

Verdict

This serum transformed my skin and I am so happy I have given BHA another chance! You can use it every night if you want but I don’t because I like to rotate my actives and I have a lot to get through lol! But I do use the serum consistently when I have texture or spots and now ( and forever) in the lead-up, during and after a trip! This is my 3 or 4^th bottle I have finished, I am currently using one and I have a refill on the way! It will be a permanent addition to my routine! I even use this to spot treat pimples.

I highly recommend this if you have oily, acne prone or congested skin! This is serious blemish control! Don’t be put off by the froth you experience after application, it will go away. It’s worth noting if you are allergic to aspirin you are not able to use BHA, they are both anti-inflammatory (please do more research into this). I took a long time doing this review because I wanted to really put this to the test. Don’t you hate it when someone uses a product for 1 week and reviews it?

Guess how much this is? £4.20 for 30ml (the Ordinary you are AMAZING!) imagine the PC BHA I tested was £8 for the TRAVEL SIZE which is 10ml (full size is £25 I think for 30ml).

Please check this out, you won’t be sorry! Esp. if you have oily skin! Available on Deciem

My brand review of the Ordinary is up! This is an overview of every single product I have tried from them! Check it out here

Catch you later!

Happy skin days- DONT FORGET SPF

Best budget friendly skincare under £20!

Budget skincare or drugstore products sometimes have a bad rep, a lot of people see it as cheap ineffective products that are a waste of money but hold up sis, there’s a lot of expensive ineffective products too( actually a bigger waste of money!). I feel like I am an advocate for budget products, I love finding really good products at amazing prices and when I do I tell the whole world, literally.

I have condensed all my tested & approved drugstore products in this post in each skincare category. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but it gives an indication of what’s out there worth trying.

My skin type is oily to combination skin

1^st cleansers & makeup removers

These are great for removing makeup and daily grime and oils from the skin! I have recently started using the NipFab cleansing fix and I am enjoying the creamy rich texture of it! I will have a full review on this soon. I also love micellar water for this step and the B. Pure Micellar Water is great for removing makeup. It also comes in a huge bottle! More micellar water information here

Second cleansers

You don’t need to double cleanse everyday but after removing makeup & SPF it’s essential. I love the Garnier micellar face wash. It can be used as a makeup remover too but I prefer it as a face wash. It’s gentle and effective and doesn’t strip your skin. My favourite drugstore face wash has to be Your Good skin refreshing face wash. Full review here

Toners

Ahh toners! It’s either you love it or hate! I’m in the first category. I split toners into two groups, this first group is non-acid based and mostly your hydration toners suitable for morning routines( can be evening too) I absolutely love the BodyShop Vitamin E Hydrating Toner and the Nip Fab Dragon Fix Cleansing pads( on my 5^th tub of these)

Acid toners

Do you acid tone? I can’t live without my glycolic acid toner! From chemical exfoliation to glowing skin this is a step I will never skip! I only acid tone in the evening and usually switch between these (I have backups of all of these!) I have a post on acids here

Pixi glow tonic 5% AHA– my current toner. The ordinary glycolic toning solution 7%, Nip fab extreme pads 5% AHA, Superdrug Naturally Radiant 5% Glycolic Acid

Serums

Treating any skin issues? Serums are your best-targeted treatments! I have already gushed about The Ordinary’s Niacinamide serum here. It’s a must-have for my skin in the summer! I am also in love with the Salicylic acid 2% from the same brand. My full review is coming. I am loving antioxidants atm especially vitamin C. I have a detailed post on Vitamin C here. My top two recommendations are MAP & Ascorbyl glucoside. Retinol from the drugstore? Yes, and it’s a no-brainer which one I would recommend! It’s the Ordinary’s of course!

Moisturisers & SPF

My tested & approved moisturisers! I love the B confident day cream from B skincare in Superdrug (shh it’s very similar to Murad hydrodynamic cream which is £50+!). The Ordinary Natural Moisturising factors is probably the best low budget moisturiser! It’s non-oily and provides all-day hydration- my full review will be up soon. So I cheated a little, Bee Good plump and firm cream is technically £3.50 over our budget but it’s worth it! Your good skin SPF 30 cream, best budget-friendly SPF moisturiser from the drugstore! (Layer with something else in winter and check out my full review here). Are you tired of me talking about the body shop drops of light essence SPF 50? The 40ml tube racks in at £17!

Face masks

Most of my face masks are budget-friendly and they work great! Among my favourites are The BodyShop Himalayan charcoal face mask which is an exact dupe of the GlamGlow Youth mud and its only £17! I also love the Nip fab glycolic fix extreme sheet mask. This has 2% AHA and is great for travel!

That’s it, guys! My list of recommended skincare products that are effective and budget friendly! I have done this list before but this is the new updated list with new products! I am working on a makeup list too!

Foundation Of the Month May- The Ordinary High Coverage Foundation

If you are looking for a new foundation, I got you covered. I decided to start a foundation series over on my Insta page because I realised I have a few foundations and its only best to share which ones work well and have enough shades for dark skin tones! So the challenge I set myself is this, every month (I made a rota guys smh), I stick to using 1 foundation and report back to you guys. I am loving the challenge so far because I am enjoying rediscovering some foundations I had in my collection! Doing this has also shown me how far I have come in selecting better foundation shades & undertones for my skin tone. I am also learning how to work with the shades that aren’t quite a good match but not bad enough to sell or throw away

Anyway, let’s get into it!

It’s no secret I love The Ordinary! Their skincare range is amazing at cheap prices: a combo I always love! The skincare giant released Colours by The Ordinary (I think late last year) and it quickly went viral too and soon it was sold out with stellar reviews were coming in. I only purchased the foundation this year, mainly because I didn’t really need a new foundation but also I couldn’t be bothered to join a waitlist for it.

The High Coverage foundation is one of the foundation offerings from the brand. This one provides full coverage with a higher conc of pigment plus a semi-matte finish. Skin looks smoother, stays on longer and resists settling into fine lines.

As always with the challenge, I have been wearing the foundation all month and for May I really tested the claims of this out! It’s not the biggest shade range, you get 21 shades with different undertones. I have yellow/golden undertones however the shade that offered this would be too light so I opted for the 3.2 shade which has red undertones. I was worried about this, but after watching tons of videos it looked like it wasn’t that red.

The High Coverage foundation is lightweight and does leave the skin looking smoother! It does have a semi-matte/ satin finish. The red undertone is really subtle infact I didn’t notice a huge difference compared to my yellow/golden foundations! Thank God it doesn’t oxidise too! In terms of performance, its top of the range and I am actually very impressed by it! The staying power on this £5.90 foundation is amazing! It does extremely well in heat and wears very well as time goes on! It’s also one of the foundations I have noticed that takes a while to separate around my smile lines! This pairs well with a few primers I have tested it out with: Makeup Revolution Primer and L’Oréal Mattifying Primer (if you love a matte finish, pair this foundation with a matte primer and you will love the results! I paired it with the L’Oréal primer and it gave an extremely matte finish which I didn’t like (I don’t like matte finishes but if that’s your thing go for it)

I have also mixed the High coverage foundation with a few liquid illuminators (see which ones on my instapage ) and a few times with an illuminator and beauty oil for the ultimate dewy/glowy finish- it pairs and works so beautifully with these products without falling short. Of course, it means the coverage is ‘sheer’ compared to its normal coverage. Or more like a medium coverage. It doesn’t look cakey on however I have realised if I use a full pump or 2 it can look cakey. I think it’s because it’s a high conc of pigment, this is very reminiscent of the NARS all Day Weightless Luminous. Is it transfer proof? No, but so is all my other foundations.

Verdict- this £5.90 foundation is on par with some of my £30 plus foundations. The Ordinary High Coverage foundation reminds me of the NARS all Day Weightless Luminous foundation in terms of coverage but without the luminosity. It also reminds me of the NARS Natural Radiant foundation in terms of how smooth and ‘fresh’ it leaves my skin but again without the radiance. Works well in the heat and doesn’t slide off, photographs beautifully and medium to full coverage yet natural-looking all under £6! C’mon!

If you are looking for a drugstore foundation please look into this! If you are yellow/golden undertoned and want to try this shade don’t worry it doesn’t look red at all! I honestly think this is worth all the hype!

The Ordinary High Coverage foundation is £5.90 on Deciem

The Ordinary Ascorbyl Glucoside Solution 12% Serum Review

We all know Vitamin C is an amazing antioxidant and has superior skin brightening properties but it’s also very unstable in water. I have been playing around with the thought of introducing Vit C in my routine for a long time but since I use a lot of water-based serums and mists in my routine I was worried that this will impact the effectiveness of the Vit C. Enter the Ascorbyl Glucoside Solution 12% which is a Vitamin C derivative and much more stable in water. This particular derivative offers skin brightening properties, stability in water and comfortable to use aka no irritation. High concentrations of Vitamin C are notorious for causing stinging/irritation.

When I first introduced this serum to my routine, I was using it in the mornings as I wanted to also take advantage of its antioxidant benefits for daily protection. I quickly disliked it, even a few drops would use piling and it didn’t layer too well with my other products. It also offered no hydration. I would use it after misting and underneath my moisturiser but it would quickly pil and sometimes I would have to wipe and start over. So it’s safe to say I didn’t enjoy it one bit and I stopped using it for while

After a bit more research ( and an email to The Ordinary for advice) I decided to try again, this time in my evening routine, as the first serum after misting and voila success! I have been using it this way for the last 3-4 months. One full drop over my face and neck and surprisingly no piling and its working well with the other two serums plus gel cream I use

The Ascorbyl Glucoside Solution 12% is a lightweight odourless serum with a translucent appearance which sinks quickly into the skin. It offers no hydration but can feel slightly sticky when dried. Over the months I have been using it, I haven’t noticed a huge difference in some pigmented areas but the general appearance of my skin looks more radiant and healthier. I can see some pigmented areas starting to break up too. It’s a nice introduction to Vitamin C and its stability in water makes it excellent to use in my routine. I am almost out of it and I would repurchase another although another form of Vit C has caught my eye, the new Ascorbic Acid 8% + Alpha Arbutin 2%

I would 100% recommend this Vit C serum if you didn’t want to go down the pure ascorbic acid route. Its pleasant serum, but make sure you use after water-based solutions. In terms of piling and layering under products, I would say start with a few drops and play around with which products you use before and after it. Its worth noting that you NEED SPF in your morning routine if you have hyperpigmentation, every day, every season. my list of invisible SPF’s is on my Instagram page here

The Ordinary Ascorbyl Glucoside Solution 12% is £8.90 on Deciem.com

I have review more The Ordinary Serums

Lactic Acid 5%

Azelaic Acid

Check out my updated Spring Morning routine. I will work on an updated evening routine too but I am pretty much using the same serums, I have just added 2 new ones. I rotate my products only when I finish the whole thing but if you want more product reviews make sure you follow me on Instagram, I am always posting recommendations.

I am also working on reviews for the other serums in the above picture.

Catch you later

xoxo

The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% Serum Review

Hey guys, I hope all is well. I shared my updated spring morning routine a few months back and got great feedback so I thought I would bring some reviews of the new serums I have been using from The ordinary. Amidst all the drama on their Instagram, The Ordinary is an excellent brand with effective products at excellent prices. I also like the site and all the good info it has on there. So without further ado let’s dive into this review

The Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% serum is for is for reducing skin blemishes and congestion whilst helping to strengthen skin, enlarged pores and uneven skintone. I decided to add this to my morning routine for the spring summer because I noticed from the last two years my normal to combo oily skin turns oily blemish prone in the warmer months. Niacinamide is great for oily skin so I thought it would give this a try.

Experience

The Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% is a colourless odourless light-textured serum that sinks into my skin instantly. It leaves no residue and adds no hydration to my skin. I find it layers well underneath the essence lotion I use or just alone underneath my moisturisers. There is no piling.

This serum has worked well with my skin in terms of oil control. Usually, around this time of year, my skin turns oily/blemish prone but so far my skin has remained normal to oily combination! I am also experiencing zero texture on my skin, even throughout the mini heatwave we had in London PLUS I hardly breakout! I know it’s due to the introduction of Niacinamide serum because last year around this time, I was an oily blemish slick LOL. My pores have remained unclogged. This also works great with Salicylic acid: both known for minimising the appearance of pores.

I am so happy I introduced this in my skincare routine and I am actually almost out of it so I need to repurchase another! I will be using this serum till September, right before the fall season starts. For my skin type I won’t use this in the winter, I will switch to something more hydrating e.g. hyaluronic acid

Verdict

I will 100% recommend this for oily/blemish skin types! It will help strengthen the skin and reduce blemishes, enlarged pores and texture! I use mine in the mornings to prep my skin for the day. It’s also worked great with the addition of the other antioxidants I have introduced to my morning routine.

I will also recommend The Ordinary brand as a starting point for your skincare routines. They have a lot of serums and info on the site and the prices are budget friendly! A lot of people ask me how to pair the serums and which ones to choose. The best advice I can give is definitely to look at the regime guide on the site and also choose the serums according to the issue you are trying to fix!

NOTE- a lot of info says you can’t combine Niacinamide with Vitamin C as they cancel each other’s effects! Please note this only applies to PURE ASCORBIC ACID and it’s completely fine to use with VIT C derivatives. I use a lot of Vit C derivatives (e.g. Activated C) in my routine and this paired very well with Niacinamide. Always do your research when it comes to ingredients! And most of the time, a well thought out routine will combine 2 or 3 actives for the most effective results! A good place to start for ingredient research and myths is Paula’s choice

I hope you found this helpful. Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% is £5.00 on The Ordinary

I am working on reviews on all the serums pictured above. Those are all the new serums I have been using.

Catch you later

Xxox

Updated Spring Morning Skincare Routine

Hey guys!

It’s April which means the countdown to my birthday!!!!!! I’m so excited!

So I have switched up my products in my morning routine and I thought it would be a good idea to share which new products I am using and why. Hopefully, if you are looking for something new to try, you can gain some inspiration from this. I never thought I would really switch up products for seasons but as I have learnt more about skincare and my skin, I find myself doing this more often and I think you should too. Without further ado, here is my updated spring morning skincare routine. I have written this in the order I use the products

Above is a picture of all the products I use in the mornings. Expect my cleanser is not pictured. I use African Black Soap to cleanse my face in the mornings. I love how it feels and I feel like it really cleans my pores and removes all the products from the night before. I don’t find African black soap drying, I think my skin is used to it but I know some people do. I get mine straight from the motherland Ghana but there are some available on Amazon [amazon_textlink asin=’B01FENIOWS’ text=’too’ template=’ProductLink’ store=’sarahfynn-21′ marketplace=’UK’ link_id=’e9f89534-35e7-11e8-8e7c-455f3635aae5′]

Toner- [amazon_textlink asin=’B01GBOL4QC’ text=’BodyShop Vitamin E Hydrating Toner’ template=’ProductLink’ store=’sarahfynn-21′ marketplace=’UK’ link_id=’1595be2e-35e8-11e8-968a-91af3bbcbf90′]

I switched to this as I wanted to incorporate more antioxidants in my morning skincare routine and also focus on moisture. I like this toner, I feel like it adds some hydration and it doesn’t feel sticky on the skin. It dries fairly quickly too. I haven’t experienced any irritation from using it. it doesn’t clog pores.

Spritz- Espa Hydrating Floral Spa fresh Spritzer

I am new to the Espa brand and I got this free courtesy of the You Beauty Advent Calendar last year. It came with a discount code of £20 off a purchase and this was £20. I am not a huge fan of the scent, it’s pleasant but not my favourite. I LOVE how fine this spritz comes out and how it leaves my skin. Hydrated and glowing! The mist doesn’t clog my pores and also dries fairly quickly. I mist generously all over my face, chest and neck. It doesn’t leave my skin sticky too. I love using this for a boost f hydration after the toning step and especially after acid toning in the evenings. This mist doesn’t feel heavy on the skin and its great base for layering skincare products

Essence- BodyShop Drops of Light Essence Lotion

Following my success with the Drops of Light serum, I wanted to try this essence too. I got this in their 40% sale and it’s a very new addition in my routine. The texture is more of a gel than a lotion nevertheless it feels very light on the skin. I added this step for hydration as I wasn’t getting enough from my day cream but to treat my pigmentation too. I am also thinking of swapping my morning serum back to the drops of light serum and use that combo to see the results I get.. Hmmm

Serum- Boots Botanics Radiance Concentrate

I feel like this serum doesn’t do much. Doesn’t really hydrate my skin and I haven’t noticed any improvements either. I used to like this before but I can’t remember why. Anyway, I have added this to my morning routine (and evenings too) just so I can get rid of it. This leaves the skin a tad bit sticky but it doesn’t clog my pores.

Antioxidant- The Ordinary Resveratrol 3% + Ferulic Acid 3%

This is the main star of my morning routine. I have been reading about antioxidants and their benefits for the skin so I have been eager to try some. A good antioxidant will add an additional layer of protection from UVA/UVB and protect against environmental aggressors too. You’ve seen all these new products for ‘anti-pollution’, you don’t need that. Get some antioxidants in your skincare plus SPF and you’re sorted!

Resveratrol 3% + Ferulic Acid 3%is a high potency antioxidant formula combined at high concentrations. These are two well-known antioxidants and well researched. I mix a few drops with my day cream. The texture of this is super light and it feels like a dry oil although its oil free. It doesn’t add any moisture/hydration when used alone again as the formula is water free. It does leave my skin looking luminous though. I haven’t experienced any irritation and it doesn’t clog pores. I can’t say I have noticed any improvements in my skin yet but I know with continued use I will reap some benefits.

Day Cream- Body Shop Vit C Glow-Boosting moisturiser

This gel-like day cream is super light and sinks quickly into the skin. It offers some hydration but it’s not long lasting in my opinion, hence my prep with the previous products to hydrate my skin. It’s very lightweight and although I haven’t seen a lot of improvement in terms of glow-boosting, my skin does look healthier. I use quite a bit of this mixed with a few drops of the antioxidant. Vitamin c is also an antioxidant and it’s known for its brightening properties so I think I have a good mixture of antioxidants for the morning that will help protect my skin throughout the day. I wish the cream did offer more hydration or moisture. Again no irritation or clogged pores with the Glow-Boosting moisturiser. Between this and their SPF 30 Glow Protect lotion, I prefer the later as it’s more emollient and offers better moisture

SPF- The BodyShop Drops of Light Essence SPF 50

SPF is the most important step of your morning routine and there not a day that goes by that I leave my house with it, no matter the season! If you’re not protecting your skin but using all these bioactive ingredients you are essentially wasting your time and potentially causing more damage! Why? It’s simple, the sun’s UVB/UVA rays cause damage to the skin and ingredients like retinol and AHA/BHA make your skin more prone to sun damage. I LOVE this SPF from the BodyShop for a lot of reasons. 1. it’s so light and skins into the skin with ease. Higher SPF’s tend to be oiler but this isn’t. It’s a beautiful featherweight texture. 2. No white/silver cast! Do you know how difficult it is for dark to find a higher SPF without looking like casket ready? Aka ashy?! This one leaves no white cast and I can happily use this as my final step without the need to ‘blend’ it in my skin with extra cream/powder. 3. It doesn’t clog pores or leave a greasy residue. This is thanks to its lightweight texture I mentioned earlier.

My next step for SPF is to find a suitable one, preferably a mist that I can use during the day for reapplication. Technically I can use this SPF but I would prefer something in a mist form so I don’t have to go and wash my hands first then reapply the cream. I would love to try the mineral/powder sunblocks but hunny those don’t come in my shade

That’s all folks! An extensive post on my updated morning routine. I wanted to explain why I chose and use each product and how they all fit together nicely into a routine. Obviously, all these products are catered to my skin type and concern: normal to combo-oily skin with hyperpigmentation, so I have no doubt if you have something similar these will work for you too. With the exception of (let’s say) the SPF, research other products/ingredients depending on your skin type/issue. Always feel free to message me if you need any help

I hope this post wasn’t too long and if it was you enjoyed it and learnt something new

Until later

Sarah

Countdown to the big 25 begins